My 16 yr old son has a nice chevette that we were considering putting a 1900 starfire motor and 5 speed box into purely for highway cruising as the original 1256cc motor is revving quite high doing 100kmph. We picked up an Opel manta (German Vauxhall) disc brake diff with higher diff ratio which we hope will help to drop the revs back a bit. Up untill last week I had a G16A16 valve suzuki engine sitting in the garage and never thought about using it in front of a rear wheel drive 5 speed box. We are now thinking of using a Suzuki G13Band 5 speed box from a Suzuki Samuri. I know the job will need to be certified and I am very capable to do it all with the exeption of the driveshaft. The car remains 1300cc so no problems with insurance and he will still be able to afford fuel for it while he is still at college. Also we believe Suzuki motor parts would be easier to find than chevette parts if we needed anything.Has anyone done a similar conversion etc and how did it work out.
donz01,
Jun 9, 10:16pm
Before anyone else does it.Q. How do you double the horse power of a Chevette !A. Put a Barina motor in it.
Especially with the 2300cc slant four/135horsepower
Love your ideas for your boy, he will have a most unusual set of wheels to pull the ladies.
berg,
Jun 9, 10:43pm
The other option is 4AGE with a 5 speed chucked behind it. Quite like the Chevette and it will make a fun "old school" ride for your lad. Gemini bits fit so you can update diffs etc quite easily
donz01,
Jun 9, 11:05pm
He gets quite a few remarks about it from total strangers.About a month ago an old lady at the shopping centre actually opened his drivers door and told him he had a nice car and make sure that he looks after it, she then shut the door and walked away. He reckons she was about 70. I was in it one day with him driving and we were at the lights waiting to go when an old bloke on a mobility scooter was on the footpath going the same way. The old bloke beat us across the road (4 lanes) on his scooter. I still give my boy heaps about his car being so slow.
berg,
Jun 9, 11:14pm
If you are going to put mags on it try track down the period pieces. Hotwires or Minilites always look trick on Chevettes. Used to have two race versions where I worked, one with a 2.3 SOHC engine and the ex Barry Robinson rocket with a Blydenstein headed, twin can 2.3.
donz01,
Jun 9, 11:19pm
Wheels were going to be 15x8 rear and 15x7 front same style as minilights but he spent that money on another toy so he is saving again.
berg,
Jun 9, 11:22pm
Rally flares are available for these (same as the Escort forest flares) to clear the wider wheels if needed
donz01,
Jun 9, 11:34pm
The wheels will all fit under gaurds at 0 offset so no need for flares.
Good idea, putting wider wheels on the back to handle all that power.
phillip.weston,
Jun 14, 2:04am
You have the range of GM Family II motors at your dispersal.
SOHC engine block and crank from an early 90s Opel/Holden vectra A 2.0 Twin cam head, pistons, rods and timing accessories from a twin cam late 90s Holden Vectra B 2.0 Gearbox from a VN Commodore 2.0 4cyl (Getrag) Sump and engine mounts from an Opel Manta if you can find them.
If you could find a whole complete C20XE red-top engine from an early 90s Vectra 2000 or Calibra that would be even better.
mp3539,
Jun 14, 6:05am
I knew a bloke who had a 308 in it and manual, probably not the thing for your son but holycrap could it go.
icemans1,
Jun 14, 6:18am
datsun 1200 motor and box is best. those 1256 vauxhall engines are utter crap. been there, done that many years ago
donz01,
Jun 16, 8:09am
I just used the spare 2.0 twincam vectra B motor a couple weeks ago after our one siezed due to unexpected oil pump failure. There is a forum with all the details about that sort of transplant using Manta parts being done in the UK. It was a pure fluke that we were offered the Manta diff and further enquiries come back that the rest of the car was stripped out and went to the metal recyclers. VN 4 cyl5 speed sounds possible.I only have 1 more motor sitting in the garage now and it is a 308 with a 4 speed behind it and there is no way he is getting that in the chevette. One day it may end up in his VL.
36lafayette,
Jun 17, 7:46am
I put a 13B turbo in one once went like f-----------------k and had one with commodre 4 starfire in it not so quick
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